3 December 2009

week 49

The secret ingredients Rainer Wemcken on why daily soaps are such a hit with audiences

Luxembourg France RTL Group presents carbon M6 is recognized for efforts in footprint diversity

Germany France RTL Creation creates RTL Radio supports Christmas campaign the Restaurants du Coeur week 4

COVER: Rainer Wemcken, Managing Director of Grundy UFA

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“Long and easy – that is our goal” Grundy UFA has been producing series and daily soaps for over 17 years now, which makes them the leader in this sector. Backstage spoke with Rainer Wemcken about the secret to their success. Rainer Wemcken Germany - 3 December 2009

Whether it’s Lenny and Emily getting into their first knock-down, drag-out fight, Till being kept away from Wolfgang’s funeral, Celine developing feelings for Richard, Manu worrying about losing her job over a slap in the face, Sebastian making up with Lydia or Oliver instigating a quarrel between Alisa and Christian – the ‘think tank’ behind the plot twists is always the same. What began in 1992 with the perennial favourite Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten (Good Times, Bad Times) is now implemented in seven productions in Potsdam-Babelsberg, Cologne, Berlin and In September, the team of Barátok közt celebrated the production Budapest. Grundy UFA produces six daily of the 5,000th episode series for the German TV market – Verbotene Liebe (ARD), Alisa – Folge deinem Herzen (ZDF), Eine wie keine (Sat 1), Alles was zählt, Unter Uns, Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten (all three for RTL Television) and Barátok közt for RTL Klub in Hungary.

Right now Grundy UFA has triple cause for celebration: on 4 December RTL Klub will broadcast the 5,000th episode of Barátok közt, while Unter Uns celbrated its 15th anniversary on 28 November and Verbotene Liebe aired its 3,500th episode in early November. This shows that the soaps are not only popular, but that their success is reliable and long-lived. “That is the art we’ve mastered,” says Rainer Wemcken, Managing Director of Grundy UFA in an interview with Backstage. “The longer a series runs, the easier it becomes to market – and that is our goal.” To achieve this, the series’ makers must take particular care to avoid lapsing into a routine. “Although we are essentially involved in industrial series Claudelle Deckert, Anna Julia Kapfelsperger und Isabell Hertel production here, creativity is demanded on a celebrating Unter uns’ 15th anniversary daily basis,” explains Wemcken. 3 week 49 the RTL Group intranet

This is important for another reason as well. As a result, the soaps are always shifting and There are now ten daily series in the German TV changing – new topics are constantly being market alone. Most of them air during access discovered, new problems addressed. prime time, that means between 17:30 and Sometimes a cast member leaves the soap, or 20:15. “Naturally, there is a danger of a new person joins the cast, which opens up oversaturation,” explains Wemcken. “That’s new narrative options for the authors. In 1992, why we place such an emphasis on the various Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten launched with a particularities of our formats. Verbotene Liebe, large cast and an accordingly large number of for instance, is deliberately a bit unrealistic.” plot strands. “Nowadays we will usually focus on a single strong character at the beginning of Producing and preserving the uniqueness of all a series, like Manu Berlett in Eine wie keine or the different soaps over time requires not only Diana in Alles was zählt. The other characters a well thought-out plan, but also a highly and the plot are then developed over time,” motivated team and smoothly functioning says Wemcken. logistics – and Grundy UFA has all but perfected the process of industrial series The nearly 18-year history of daily soaps in production. “Of course there is no secret Germany is evident in the evolution of the formula that tells you exactly how everything narrative structure, but also in changes that works,” jokes Wemcken. “We’re not a beverage have occurred in production over recent years. factory, where you have a specific recipe that Production timing is still very tight – every day, spells out how it’s done.” Each soap has its at least one new episode has to be completed very own style, a recurrent theme and its own for each of the seven series. New technology way of telling the characters’ stories. “The most standards in particular have opened up greater important thing is to use the characters to tell creative freedom. HD technology gives the stories that interest people while also exploring footage a more cinematic overall look and it problems that preoccupy people,” Wemcken has also greatly simplified post-processing. explains. “To do so you have to stay close to “This means that we are producing even faster your target audience, pick up on trends and now than we used to,” reports Rainer even set trends yourself sometimes.” Wemcken. “For Unter Uns, we now produce eight episodes a week instead of just five as in the past.”

The entire production process for an episode – from the initial idea to the day it is aired – takes about three months on average. First, a larger plot spanning several months is determined. This overarching plot is then broken down into weekly strands and then into daily episodes, after which it is shot. Finally, these plot strands are cut apart, combined with other and edited into an episode. “That is precisely what distinguishes us, apart from the shooting itself – the industrial standards we bring to production,” says Wemcken. Also, he explains, there is now more of an emphasis on better care and training for the cast members. “We now have a lot more coaches than ten years ago.” Shooting of Verbotene Liebe 4 week 49 the RTL Group intranet

And soaps are now at home in the online realm company produces for the German social as well. “Daily soaps are among the most networks StudiVZ and MeinVZ, is one of requested formats on the broadcasters’ various Germany’s most popular Web series, catch-up and video-on-demand sites,” generating over three million video views to Wemcken is happy to report. “On RTL Now for date. The series has even been nominated for a instance, users can preview the upcoming Digital Emmy. “Given the Pietshow’s success, episode for a small fee – and plenty of people we are obviously entertaining some ambitions actually do so.” Grundy UFA also develops in this area. But you always need a partner for Web series that are not exactly like soaps but the financing, too,” says Wemcken. “But we do have similarities. The Pietshow, which the have nothing new planned at the moment.”

Grundy UFA in Figures (as of 1 December 2009)

Gute Zeiten – Schlechte Zeiten (Good Times, Bad Times; RTL Television) Launched: 1992 Number of episodes: 4380 Average audience share (14 to 49 – Oct 2009): 21.0 per cent

Unter Uns (RTL Television) Launched: 1994 Number of episodes: 3729 Average audience share (14 to 49 – Oct 2009): 16.6 per cent

Verbotene Liebe (ARD) Launch: 1995 Number of episodes: 3516 Average audience share (total audience – Oct 2009): 11.8 per cent

Alles was zählt (RTL Television) Launch: 2006 Number of episodes: 817 Average audience share (14 to 49 – Oct 2009): 16.2 per cent

Alisa - Folge deinem Herzen (ZDF) Launch: 2009 Number of episodes: 183 Average audience share (total audience – Oct 2009): 15.1 per cent

Eine wie keine (Sat.1) Launch: 2009 Number of episodes: 12 Average audience share: Not available, yet.

Barátok Közt (RTL Klub) Launch: 1998 Number of episodes: 4994 Average audience share (18 to 49 – Oct 2009): 40.4 per cent.

5 Urgent need for action This Saturday, RTL-TVI will broadcast, in prime time, Al Gore’s award-winning documentary film An Inconvenient Truth - probably one of the best ways to raise awareness for the importance of the upcoming Copenhagenchange. Summit on climate week 49 the RTL Group intranet

Presenting the carbon footprint RTL Group employees in Luxembourg got together to learn more about our organisation’s carbon footprint and to discuss measures to reduce CO2 emissions linked to our activity. Luxembourg - 2 December 2009

In a year where facts matter, and bearing in mind that “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something,” the second edition of RTL Group’s ‘environMINDday’ mainly centred on a presentation of the results of the carbon footprint measurement project initiated and conducted by Dr. Achim Schorb, from the IFEU in Heidelberg, Marco Schank Deputy Minister of Sustainable the environMIND Development in Luxembourg and Elmar Heggen, RTL Group CFO and Head of the Corporate Centre team starting in April (from left to right) 2008. This project was born out of growing GHG emissions are always related to the interest expressed by many of RTL Group’s company’s core operations. This is especially subsidiaries and was first conducted here in true for RTL Group. As a service provider and a Luxembourg before being rolled out to the rest broadcaster, energy consumption is by far the of the Group. largest proportion of GHG emissions. Power consumption is in direct relation with Establishing a carbon footprint is a very broadcasting operations and server demands. complex process since it relates to the total of The footprint is influenced by our day-to-day all greenhouse gases (GHG) produced in a activities but also by the size (9,191 employees) company’s day-to-day operations. For this in and profile of our workforce. This also explains depth analysis of tracked data, RTL Group’s that business travel caused by air, rail or car carbon footprint coordinator Tun Van Rijswijck travel is also a key factor in the carbon was assisted by Dr. Achim Schorb from the footprint. “People working as TV or radio Institute for Environmental Research (IFEU) in journalists or employed in the TV production Heidelberg. 73,000 tons per year is the overall are constantly on the move. That’s why figure of GHG emissions by RTL Group in 2008. business travel also significantly affects our carbon emissions,” said Tun Van Rijswijck

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during the presentation of the detailed slides environmentally responsible behaviour. Since presenting calculations per employee. last year, our site has become a great deal greener. All of our many initiatives show that Although RTL Group can not be seen as a RTL Group is committed to protecting the major polluter, the company has also to take environment.” Marco Schank, Luxembourg’s actions to reduce its footprint. Dr. Achim Deputy Minister of Sustainable Development, Schorb: “Knowing where and how you congratulated RTL Group on its initiative, generate greenhouse gases is the first step to noting its proximity to the Copenhagen summit, reduce them”. “which must not and will not be a failure,” as he put it. Opening the second environMINDday Elmar Heggen, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Transitioning from theory to practice, and in the RTL Group Corporate Centre, welcomed order to promote exchange and interactivity, a employees to the Grand Studio, expressing discussion panel was held after the that “RTL Group is committed to effectively presentation of the carbon footprint. combining economic success and

See the full presentation on Backstage

CO2 emissions account for 69,616 tons whereas the overall figure of GHG emissions amounts to 72,783 tons in the RTL Group carbon footprint

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Anything but silent RTL Creation has designed this year’s Christmas campaign for RTL Television around the free-TV premiere of 7 Zwerge – Der Wald ist nicht genug. Germany - 27 November 2009

This Christmas, the seven dwarves will ensure that Christmas Eve is anything but silent – accordingly, the campaign See the spots on slogan is “Von wegen stille Nacht!“ Backstage (Not Exactly Silent Night!). The on-air campaign began on 29 November with Advertising from 7 Zwerge – Der Wald ist nicht genug 10 trailers, 26 different commercial separators and two station IDs featuring the seven stars of the film. From 15 December, the on-air promotion will be enhanced out with Citylight posters, mega light boards and info screens in a number of big cities. In addition, the star-studded parody has been advertised in all the major TV listings and popular magazines since 2 December.

RTL Television will be serving up a veritable holiday feast of programming for its viewers: in addition to the free-TV premiere of 7 Zwerge – Der Wald ist nicht genug (7 Dwarves – The Woods Are Not Enough) on 25 December, top comedian Atze Schröder will present his Comedy-Adventskalender (Comedy Christmas Countdown) on 23 December at 20:15. On Christmas Eve at 20:15, RTL will show the international co-production Die Jahrhundertlawine (The Avalanche Of The Century) starring Désirée Nosbusch and Vincent Perez. The highlight on December 26 will be the Hollywood blockbuster King Kong directed by Peter Jackson.

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Quiz to go German fans of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? can now play the quiz on their iPhone and iPod touch devices. Germany - 3 December 2009

Users simply have to download the new Wer wird Millionär? app from Apple’s App Store and have Internet access. The free app lets users play the latest questions asked in the TV show. In addition, there are several thousand original questions from past shows, similar to the online training camp at RTL.de, and including the celebrity specials. If you don’t know an answer, you can use a ‘lifeline’, just as contestants do on the show. The multiplayer mode lets quizzers match their wits against real opponents. Whenever new questions have been added, the “Push Notification Service” automatically notifies the game’s users. Background information on the TV show is also included, along with tips on how to apply as a

Wer wird Millionär? on iPhone candidate. The new app made its debut in the German App Store last weekend and went straight to number one in the ranking of most frequently downloaded free apps.

For people who would like to be able to play the quiz whenever and wherever they want, there will soon be the option of buying a new Wer wird Millionär? app for a one-time fee. The paid app allows for playing the quiz even if there is no Internet connection. Both applications were developed by the RTL Interactive Mobile team in cooperation with 2 Way Traffic, the company that holds the international rights to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

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“An everyday challenge” This is how Groupe M6 defines its commitment to promote diversity on its television screens, a must for a company that intends to remain close to its audiences’ concerns. Smaïn, new judge on the show La France a un incroyable talent France - 27 November 2009

Formed in 1997, Club Averroes brings together The report goes on to say that the promotion of almost 400 professionals around the issues of diversity by Groupe M6 is carried out on every diversity in the French media. Available since level: “It’s true for fiction, for early-evening Wednesday 25 November, the Club’s 2009 entertainment, for judges, presenters and annual report has the objective of highlighting journalists.” It also highlights “the exemplary those policies that are exemplary while pointing role of reporting in magazine shows” like those that are less so in terms of diversity. Capital. While certain policies on the part of the competition have been judged insufficient, Club Averroes praises Groupe M6’s efforts in this area.

Indeed, for Groupe M6, “the media, as companies, have a particular social responsibility. As such, the question of representing diversity is extremely important for the entire group.” This declaration was hailed by Club Averroes in its report, which also mentions “that it is indeed notable that since its creation in 1986, when programming was dominated by music, representing French society has always remained a normal policy in Karine Le Marchand is the new presenter of the society magazine Groupe M6.” Générations Famille

Examples cited in the Club Averroes report:

Q In fiction: Léa Parker with Sonia Rolland, Les Tricheurs, Les Bleus, Scènes de ménage

Q For judges: Mya Fry for Popstars, Moïse for Nouvelle Star, Aziz Senni and Smaïn for La France a un incroyable talent

Q For presenters: Charlie and Lulu

Q For journalists: Aïda Touihri, Karine Lemarchand

Q For the subjects in its magazine shows: Capital

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Talking about human relations An all-new information programme, Générations Famille, aired on M6 is presented by the newly recruited Karine Le Marchand. Karine Le Marchand, Editor-in-chief and presenter France - 1 December 2009

Générations Famille deals with the main concerns and larger social questions that confront all Watch the video on families. Health, education, Backstage sexuality, work, housing – all these subjects have direct consequences on the lives of couples as well as the relationships between parents and children or among different generations. The magazine consists of a 52-minute documentary followed by an in-studio discussion led by Karine Le Marchand with witnesses and experts to decipher, enlighten and find solutions.

“We are going to follow witnesses for months and then have them join us in the studio (…) We will try to understand how whatever is going on in their lives can affect us as well,” says Karine Le Marchand, who is Editor-in-chief and presenter of the show, in a short video that explains the concept of Générations Famille in a few minutes.

The first episode of Générations Famille, which aired on 30 November 2009 at 20:40, dealt with eating disorders, which affect 10 per cent of the French population.

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Restaurants on air As partner of the Restaurants du Cœur, RTL Radio France is rallying to help launch the 25th winter campaign with a special day of broadcasts. France - 30 November 2009

The Restaurants du Cœur (Restaurants of the Internet users will find a special section Heart) is a French charitable organisation, the dedicated to the Restaurants du Cœur main activity of which is to distribute food campaign at RTL.fr. packages and hot meals to people in need.

On 30 November during RTL Matin, Vincent Parizot welcomed Olivier Berthe, president of the Restaurants du Cœur. Then, from 12:30 to 14:30, RTL Midi was on air live from the Rueil Malmaison distribution centre. This special edition featured RTL journalists Elizabeth Martichoux and Jérôme Godefroy, on the ground and in the heart of the action as they met volunteers, people who benefit from the activities of the Restaurants du Cœur and those who run the centres. Reports, testimonies and other interviews continued throughout the day.

12 Chart breaker A global sensation: following her stunning performance on Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle became one of the most viewed video stars ever on the internet. Now her debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, tops the charts in the US and in the UK. Meanwhile, the Got Talent franchise attracts large audiences in

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Awards in November Autumn began with another shower of awards for RTL Group companies. Jessica Schwarz won a ‘Bambi’ for her performance in the Phoenix Film production Romy, and Super RTL won several awards. Jessica Schwarz as Romy Schneider Luxembourg - 1 December 2009 At the ‘Bambi’ awards on 26 November in Toggolino Club, Super RTL‘s acclaimed games Potsdam, Jessica Schwarz accepted the and educational website for 3- to 6-year-olds, Bambi as this year’s Best German Actress for won three ‘IMA Best In Class Awards’ this year, her performance in Romy, a Phoenix Film in the categories ‘Kids’, ‘Games Playing’ and production about the acting icon Romy ‘Education’. The coveted award is administered Schneider. The ‘Bambi’ is regarded as one of by the Interactive Media Council (IMC), a non- Germany’s most important media awards. It profit organisation of leading Web designers, was presented for the 61st time this year. developers, programmers and other Internet experts. The ‘Best in Class Award’ is the N-TV was named a ‘Superbrand’ again this highest distinction and is only awarded to year, after having won the title once before in websites that score at least 480 of 500 possible 2007. This certifies that the news channel points in the judges’ strict evaluation of criteria practices “outstanding brand management in such as the website’s design, content and Germany”. N-TV Editor-in-chief Volker features. The IMC reports that each year only a Wasmuth accepted the award at the Capitol small percentage of participants clears the Theatre in Dusseldorf. N-TV is one of 64 479-point threshold, so it is all the more ‘Superbrands’ chosen from over 1300 remarkable that Toggolino Club won an ‘IMA nominees by a jury of experts. Best in Class Award’ in three categories in a single year.

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Two Super RTL formats – Haselhörnchen – Hier Last week at the 9th ‘Premios Solidarios del knallt die Ente and Dragon Hunters each won Seguro’ Grupo Antena 3’s traffic safety an ‘Emil’ children’s TV award in early campaign Ponle Freno won the 2009 award in November. The ‘Emil’ is awarded annually by the category ‘Medio de Comunicación más the TV listings magazine “TV Spielfilm” and is Solidario’ (Best Social Media Campaign). The seen as one of the foremost awards in Premios Solidarios del Seguro are presented by children’s television. Super RTL celebrates its the Spanish insurance industry to provide sixth and seventh award this year. financial support to exceptional social projects.

At the ‘Lima Awards Germany 2009’ in Munich, M6 has been awarded the special jury prize at Super RTL also scored two of the prestigious the 24th International Scoop and Journalism awards. The children’s channel won a prize for Festival of Angers for the filming of “La vie ‘Licensing Agency of the Year’, and the blessée” (Wounded Life) by Meriem Lay, McDonald’s Children’s Birthday with Toggo, a Jérôme Pavlovsky and Raphaël Bourdelon joint project between McDonald’s and Super (Productions Tony Comiti). Shot over a three- RTL, was named ‘Promotion of the Year’. The year period within the context of Zone Interdite, Lima is the world’s leading trade association in “La vie blessée” deals with the subject of the media licensing, brands and merchandising raising awareness about accident prevention sector. Since its establishment in 1985, it has and road safety. represented the interests of the licensing industry and sees itself as an active provider of Finally, author Beate Langmaack won “Best services for its members. Screenplay” at the European TV Film Festival Zoom Igualada, for her work on the Teamworx The RTL-Spendenmarathon telethon won the production Willkommen im Westerwald. ‘Street Award 2009’. At a charity gala in Berlin on Friday, RTL Television’s Charity Director Wolfram Kons accepted the prize in the ‘Media Award’ category from patron Udo Walz on behalf of the broadcaster. The “Street Award” is presented annually to children, teens, social services, businesses or public personages who have rendered great services to disadvantaged children and teens through their efforts and support.

Nazan Eckes, Miriam Pielhau, Anke Schäferkordt, Wolfram Kons, Birgit Schrowange und Anke Engelke (from left to right) at the RTL-Spendenmarathon

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Third consecutive record Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland attracted 35.9 per cent of the 14- to 49-year-old viewer market in November, once again outperforming the ProSiebenSat.1 group by a wide margin. RTL Television had its third consecutive month of record ratings, scoring an audience share of 18.7 per cent in the same target group. Germany - 2 December 2009

November audiences M6 gains 500,000 prime time viewers in one year. In prime time, M6 drew an average of 3.9 million viewers, its best audience for that time slot in two years (not including sporting events). France - 1 December 2009

The Dutch TV market in November With a market share of 31.4 per cent among 20- to 49-year-olds, RTL Nederland’s channels in November not only clearly outperformed the SBS group (28.6 per cent) and the country’s public-service broadcasters (26.6 per cent), but also improved its own performance by 0.9 percentage points year on year. Netherlands - 3 December 2009

On the ball – and now on board for RTL Jürgen Klinsmann, who was a World and European champion player for Germany and coached the German national team to 3rd place in 2006, will provide expert commentary for the nine Football World Cup matches that RTL Television is broadcasting from South Africa. Germany - 3 December 2009

Leader among the DTT channels W9 reaches its highest level in November 2009 by registering a total audience share of 2.8 per cent nation wide. W9 is the most watched DTT channel with 36 million viewers each month. France - 2 December 2009 15 week 49 the RTL Group intranet

Strengthening the protection of minors online The founding members of “Frag Finn e.V.” (Ask Finn) send a clear signal to strengthen the protection of minors on the Internet. Claude Schmit, Managing Director of Super RTL, has been elected Chairman of the new association in Berlin. Germany - 27 November 2009

IP Deutschland markets Super RTL websites The Super RTL websites Toggo.de, SuperRTL.de and Mamily.de will be marketed by IP Deutschland from January 2010. Germany - 30 November 2009

Beauty and the King The lovely Leona Lewis made a much-anticipated appearance on the French-Belgian show X Factor live on W9 and RTL-TVI. France / Belgium - 30 November 2009

The best locations in Berlin RCB Radio Center Berlin has launched Top10 Berlin, a new “search-and-find engine” for Berlin. It features the ten best locations Berlin has to offer for every occasion, presented in easily read Top 10 lists. Germany - 30 November 2009

The best of W9 in catch-up W9 enhances its digital services with an all-new catch-up TV platform that was launched on 1 December and an entirely revamped website. France - 3 December 2009

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